Middle English Dictionary Entry
ēren v.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | ēren v.(1) Also erien, ærien, eari, airen, arren. |
| Etymology | OE erian. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Of a person: to plow or cultivate (land), esp. in preparation for sowing;-- (a) with obj.; (b) without obj.; (c) with addition of up; (d) in Biblical usage, eren in (an animal), to plow with (an animal).
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)16/26 : Mon erode alne ðone fixnoð.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)308 : In eried lond.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.455 : Þe flore þerof was i-ered wiþ plowes.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)7.4,5 : I haue an half Aker to herie [B: erye, C: eren] bi the heiȝe weye; Weore he wel I-Eried þenne with ou wolde I Wende.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)8.5 : Treuþe..bad..hem..heren [B: eryen; C: erye] heore leyȝes.
- (1423) Pet.Sutton in Fenland NQ 7307 : If any tenaunt erthe or ploght an acre of bonde londe.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ex.34.21 : The seuenthe day thow shalt ceese to eeren and to repen.
- (1425) Paston3.3 (931/6) : This bille indentyd .. wittenesseth þat it is acorded be-twen William Paston and William Joye that þe seid William Joye .. shal .. ocupie, eryn, telyn, sedyn, sowen, and harwyn in seisonable tyme al þe arable londes of þe seid William Paston.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1290 : Whan þe temple was ouertourned, Tytus commaundys In plowes to putte & alle þe place erye.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)78/35 : We tille na lande, ne eryes, ne sawes.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)3691 : Sone þey maden eryed feld.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)129 : Men Erredyn and tilledyn har landys.
- c1450 De CMulieribus (Add 10304)1791 : Leste that I eyre the bareyn se-banke.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)182/21 : Þey may close here assarte..to ere hyt & to sowe.
- c1475 Court Sap.(Trin-C R.3.21)1099 : Another feld I haue in hast to ere.
- c1475 A philosophre (Hrl 372)31 : Whan xij plowmen ered at the plowhe.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)5398 : That erthe..Wher as sowe was thys greyn, Was not labouryd..Mor [read: nor] yheryd neueradel.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)796/9 : Hec virgata: a eryd lond.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10030 : Heo gunnen to ærien [Otho: herie].
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1039 : Man shal erien an sowe.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)227 : Me ssel erye mid penonce and zawe mid guode workes.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)41b : To Eyr..to plowgh.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)47 : When so euer þey erye, yeff it be good soyle, eree depe with a square forough.
c
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.184 : To tile a feeld, me most ha diligence: And balk hit not, but ere hit vp bydene.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)175 : Ayre vp the erthe on ardagh wise.
d
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Deut.22.10 : Thow shalt not eere in oxe togidre and asse [WB(2): with an oxe and asse togidere; L in bove simul et asino].
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Judg.14.18 : If ȝe hadden not erid in my she calf [L si non arassetis in vitula mea].
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.6380 : Yiff ye nat hadde herd it [1554 ed.: hered] in my calff.
2.
Of the implement or the draft animal: (a) to plow; (b) to plow (land, etc.).
Associated quotations
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)104a : Ȝef þe axe ne kurue..ne þe suluh ne erede, hwa kepte ham to halden?
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.323 : Thane sowe hem in the silf place Where the oxes herid hadde aforn.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)14.28 : Þough no plow erie.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)19.263 : Al that his oxen eryed [C: ereden] they to harwe after.
b
- a1500 Chartier Quad.(2) (Rwl A.338)168/5 : The schare and cultre, which were wont to eary the londe, is turned vnt the mortall sworde.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)45 : A ploughe may erye iij rodis & a halfe on þe day.
3.
(a) To till (a plant) by plowing; (b) to turn up (a furrow) by plowing; (c) eren awai, to cut away or remove by plowing.
Associated quotations
a
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.513 : Now by the see cost & in hoot contre Thy wynys delue or er.
b
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.799 : Thenne ere a doubil forgh iij foote asondir.
c
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)2446 : What sey men of þes fals husbandys Þat ere aweye falsly mennys landys, Of a land..Takyn and eryn away a furgh?
4.
To inscribe (words);--transl. L exarare.
Associated quotations
- a1450 LDirige(1) (Dgb 102)294 : Who ȝeueþ to me, þat wolde y wyte, Wordes in boke be ered wel, Or in a plate of led wryten With an yren poyntel? [Cp.Vulg. Job 19.23-4: Quis mihi det ut exarentur in libro stylo ferreo?]